Sustainability
Due to the close connection to agriculture and the history of our company, the topic of sustainability has always been part of KRONE's DNA, as strategic decisions made by our family business always take into account the potential impact on future generations. This sustainability concept is firmly anchored in our corporate culture and among our employees across all locations and departments.
Resource wall
Once a product has been developed, raw materials such as steel, aluminium, wood or plastics, which are required to manufacture the trailers, are procured. These materials are generally sourced from German suppliers. These raw materials (especially the raw chassis) and the prefabricated axles are then processed at our production sites, where they are assembled into various components and parts of the trailer. Each production plant manufactures different products from the KRONE portfolio, which means that the vertical range of manufacture varies.
Our Profi Liner consists of 77.47 % steel. Steel therefore forms the basis of our trailers. We use this raw material to make our vehicles as stable and robust as possible and to guarantee a long service life.
On average, 2.56 % of a Profi Liner is made of aluminium. These are, for example, lightweight components such as side walls or roofs.
We use plywood and solid wood in the Profi Liner - including for the floor panels. This raw material comes from European suppliers.
PE, PVC, GRP - these plastics can be found in the Profi Liner. 2.70 % of the trailer is made of PVC, for example for seals. By the way: KRONE is currently examining where we can reduce the use of plastic.
Rubber is used in the Profi Liner for the tyres and shock absorption, among other things. The majority of our used tyres are retreaded to become our R:Tyre. The rest is recycled and processed into fitness mats, for example.
Of course, a professional liner also needs electronics for LED lights or KRONE Telematics. By the way: We take care to use environmentally friendly materials that can be recycled as easily as possible.
Not only does the chassis shine in almost any colour, KRONE also uses environmentally friendly material for the KTL Plus powder coating. This guarantees maximum corrosion protection and extends the service life.
Group-wide sustainability management
The establishment of an interdisciplinary sustainability team emphasises the KRONE Group's efforts to harmonise economic, social and ecological requirements. As part of the materiality analysis, the following topics were identified as essential for the KRONE Group's sustainability efforts: Climate change, pollution, resource use and circular economy, own workforce, labour in the value chain, consumers and end users, and corporate policy.
A comprehensive carbon footprint (Scope 1-3) was prepared for the KRONE Group for the first time in the 2022/2023 financial year. Emissions are being gradually reduced through investments in renewable energies and energy efficiency measures. A first step is the installation of PV systems across all locations, which cover around 10% of our electricity requirements (Scope 2 reduction). We were also able to present our eTrailer, which reduces the diesel consumption of articulated lorries by up to 40-50% (Scope 3 reduction).
Facts, figures and data:
- annual energy consumption totalling 208,000,000 kWh. The KRONE Group's total energy consumption (electricity, natural gas, fuels) is roughly equivalent to the consumption of 8,500 single-family homes.
- 55,000 t CO2 in Scope 1 + 2. The production sites of the KRONE Group cause approx. 55,000 t CO2 annually. These emissions are attributable to our electricity and natural gas requirements as well as our fuel requirements.
- 45,000,000 t CO2 in Scope 3 The KRONE Group's upstream and downstream emissions amount to 45 million tonnes of CO2. 95% of these emissions are generated during the utilisation phase of our trailers.
- 140,000 m³ of fresh water purchased. The total annual fresh water withdrawal from the public network amounts to approx. 140,000 m³. Of this, 90% is discharged into the public sewerage system.
- 2,000,000,000 € purchasing volume. The KRONE Group's total annual purchasing volume amounts to € 2 billion. 50% of the purchasing volume is attributable to the steel product group.
- 14,000 tonnes of waste are produced by the KRONE Group every year.
The KRONE Group has always attached great importance to fair and safe working conditions. This is ensured by job-related remuneration, our company health management and the further training of our employees. In addition, a supplier compliance management system has been introduced to ensure environmental and social standards along the value chain.
Facts, figures and data:
- 6,121 employees in the KRONE Group including trainees, interns and temporary staff. Approx. 13% of these employees are female.
- 7% women in management positions (across hierarchies).
Our corporate governance is based on our compliance management system, which the KRONE Group's Executive Board has implemented to prevent damage and control risks. Taking into account specific company factors, the system can ensure that risks of material violations of laws and internal rules are recognised in good time and that systematic violations are prevented with a high degree of probability.
Facts, figures and data:
- around 90% of our Tier 1 suppliers are based in Germany. This should be viewed favourably with regard to potential supply chain risks.
